Linking Students To Employers Internships provide a valuable way for students to make connections with businesses and identify career options in North Dakota. Governor John Hoeven and the 2007 Legislature recognized the importance of expanding internship and work experience opportunities, thus appropriated $600,000 to the Department of Commerce for the Operation Intern program. By spring of 2009, the program matched 211 students with 83 North Dakota businesses.
In the 2009-11 biennium, the Operation Intern program received $900,000 and expanded to high school students and registered apprenticeships. The program is designed to expand the number of new internship, work experience and apprenticeship positions with employers. Employers in the state's targeted industries can access up to $6,000 of matching funds for each new position created, or up to $5,000 for a federal internship position supporting North Dakota's targeted industries.
